| Duration: | May 20–22, 1949 |
| Tornadoes: | ≥ 66 |
| Fujitascale: | F4 |
| Year: | 1949 |
| Damages: | $9,330,500 ($ in USD) |
| Fatalities: | 57 |
| Injuries: | 558 |
| Affected: | Central and Eastern United States |
From May 20–22, 1949, a large-scale tornado outbreak affected portions of the continental United States, killing several dozen people and injuring hundreds more. Generating at least 66 tornadoes, the severe weather event produced 51 or more significant—F2 or stronger—tornadoes, half a dozen of which were retroactively rated F4 by tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis. One of the largest on record prior to the start of official data in 1950, the outbreak included many tornado families and unrecorded or weak tornadoes, so its actual total was likely considerably higher than noted here. Newspaper headlines mentioned an "army" of tornadoes in Kansas on May 20. More than 100 tornadoes in all, mainly weak, may have formed over the Great Plains that day; Grazulis was able to find 40 just in Kansas "with little effort".
| Date | Total | F-scale rating | Deaths | Injuries | Damage | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | ||||||
| May 20 | 36 | 9 | ? | ? | 17 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 57 | ||
| May 21 | 24 | 4 | ? | ? | 11 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 52 | 491 | ||
| May 22 | 6 | 2 | ? | ? | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
| Total | 66 | 15 | ? | ? | 32 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 57 | 558 | ||
Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radar in 1990–1991. 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments. Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.
| Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width | Damage | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F3 | Beecher Island (CO) to near Haigler (NE) | Yuma (CO), Cheyenne (KS), Dundy (NE) | Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska | 19:15–? | 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This and the following tornado family successively paralleled each other. The first event destroyed many barns and a pair of homes. A truck was hit, forcing its drivers to shelter beneath, and a barn in transit blown away "like paper". One person was injured. | |||||||||
| F3 | S of Wray (CO) to W of Benkelman (NE) | Yuma (CO), Cheyenne (KS), Dundy (NE) | Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska | 21:30–? | 40abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| Forming over Black Wolf Canyon, this event struck four farmsteads in Colorado, wrecking 12 structures and splintering 150 utility poles. Crossing into Kansas and Nebraska, the tornado family destroyed many barns, hitting at least six farms. One injury occurred. | |||||||||
| F3 | E of Bird City | Cheyenne | Kansas | 21:30–? | 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado leveled all but a corner of a farmhouse. A few injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | N of McDonald | Rawlins | Kansas | 21:30–? | 4abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| Barns were wrecked. | |||||||||
| FU | Rawlins | Kansas | 21:30–22:30 | ||||||
| This was one of four narrow, weak tornadoes to hit the county. | |||||||||
| FU | Rawlins | Kansas | 21:30–22:30 | ||||||
| This was one of four narrow, weak tornadoes to hit the county. | |||||||||
| FU | Rawlins | Kansas | 21:30–22:30 | ||||||
| This was one of four narrow, weak tornadoes to hit the county. | |||||||||
| FU | Rawlins | Kansas | 21:30–22:30 | ||||||
| This was one of four narrow, weak tornadoes to hit the county. | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Oberlin | Decatur | Kansas | 22:15–? | 4abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado struck six farmsteads, wrecking structures. | |||||||||
| F3 | S of Scott City to Healy | Scott, Lane | Kansas | 22:15–? | 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado unroofed three or more farmhouses and destroyed outbuildings or barns on nine farmsteads. 12 homes were badly damaged at Healy, one of which was destroyed. | |||||||||
| F2 | SW to SE of Lipscomb | Lipscomb | Texas | 22:54–? | 4abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado unroofed a combined store and post office. A barn and home were wrecked as well. | |||||||||
| F3 | SSE of Healy to NW of Shields | Lane | Kansas | 23:00–? | 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado hit five farmsteads, destroying and scattering a farmhouse. | |||||||||
| F2 | Near Goin | Claiborne | Tennessee | 23:00–? | 5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado destroyed three barns and five homes along Barren Creek. Three people were injured. | |||||||||
| F2 | N of Copeland to western Rozel | Gray, Ford, Hodgeman, Pawnee | Kansas | 23:30–? | 85abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| A family of at least eight tornadoes, this event produced sporadic damage. 70 homes received damage at Rozel, and rural farmhouses lost their roofs. "Hundreds" of animals died in the path, and four people were injured. The tornado also tracked near Hanston and Howell. Many funnel clouds were observed, four near Dodge City. | |||||||||
| F2 | Balko to southern Beaver | Beaver | Oklahoma | 23:30–? | 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| 1 death – This was a family of at least three tornadoes. A farmhouse was wrecked, and other homes were unroofed. | |||||||||
| F2 | Lipscomb (TX) to N of Woodward (OK) | Lipscomb (TX), Ellis (OK), Woodward (OK) | Texas, Oklahoma | 00:15–? | 55abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado family first unroofed a store and other structures in Texas. Entering Oklahoma, it damaged a hangar and aircraft at Gage Airport. Farms were extensively damaged in the Tangier–Shattuck area, and barns were wrecked near Fargo. Most of the damage was to Woodward Army Air Field, now West Woodward Airport, where a few large warehouses and 11 aircraft were torn apart, resulting in three injuries. | |||||||||
| F2 | SW of Coldwater to Wilmore | Comanche | Kansas | 01:30–? | 19abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| A large tornado damaged "the entire town" of Wilmore. | |||||||||
| F3 | Near Catesby | Ellis | Oklahoma | 01:30–? | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| 1 death – This tornado leveled a farmstead. The dead, a woman, was carried 300yd and her husband injured. | |||||||||
| F2 | SE of Lincoln | Lincoln | Kansas | 01:45–? | 4abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado wrecked windmills, small outbuildings, and a home. Trees were downed and snapped as well. | |||||||||
| F2 | Yewed to ENE of Nash | Alfalfa, Grant | Oklahoma | 01:45–? | 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 1 death – This was either a family of tornadoes or two unrelated events. Businesses and homes were destroyed at Nash. The tornado felled a grain elevator, fatally crushing a man below. 27 injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | E of Woodward | Woodward | Oklahoma | 02:00–? | 2abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado tore the roof off a home and wrecked a barn. | |||||||||
| F4 | SW of Gypsum to NE of Solomon | Saline, Dickinson | Kansas | 02:00–02:30 | 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 1 death – This tornado only hit a few farms, obliterating a farmhouse. A railroad bridge was partly wrecked as well. The tornado killed a motorist whose automobile was lofted 200yd. Businesses and homes in Solomon received F2 damage. Five injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F3 | Near Hope to N of Junction City | Dickinson, Geary | Kansas | 02:15–? | 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| Barns were shattered and one or two homes destroyed. About six other homes were shorn of their roofs. The tornado killed 5,000 chickens as well, blew away sheds, and downed power lines. | |||||||||
| F2 | SW to NE of Mooreland | Woodward | Oklahoma | 02:30–? | 8abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 70abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado, part of the Lipscomb–Gage family, unroofed four homes and wrecked a filling station. | |||||||||
| F2 | SE of Hammon to N of Thomas | Custer | Oklahoma | 02:30–? | 35abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado wrecked many barns and five farmhouses, shifting several of the latter on their foundations. 13 of 14 cattle were carried aloft NaNmiles, audible in midair, but uninjured. Downbursts damaged 25 homes in Thomas. Three people were injured. | |||||||||
| F2 | W of Vici | Ellis | Oklahoma | 02:30–? | |||||
| This tornado unroofed and destroyed four homes. | |||||||||
| F2 | Belva to E of Waynoka | Woodward, Woods | Oklahoma | 02:45–? | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This event, related to the Mooreland F2, may have been two or three tornadoes. Barns were destroyed on two or more farmsteads. | |||||||||
| F2 | Chase | Rice | Kansas | 02:45–? | 1abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado damaged eight homes, unroofed one, and destroyed another. Four injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F3 | W of Waynoka to near Hopeton | Woodward, Woods | Oklahoma | 03:00–? | 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado struck nine farms, obliterating three of them. One farm lost 40 head of cattle. Two vehicles—a pickup truck and a car—were carried NaNmiles. | |||||||||
| F2 | SE of Watonga to S of Loyal to near Dover | Blaine, Kingfisher | Oklahoma | 03:00–? | 27abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado, part of a 55adj=midNaNadj=mid family, destroyed or damaged structures on 20 farmsteads, leveling an incomplete home. | |||||||||
| FU | SW of Wellington | Sumner | Kansas | 03:00–? | |||||
| Rural barns and farmhouses were damaged. | |||||||||
| F3 | NW of Emporia to Allen to E of Eskridge | Lyon, Wabaunsee | Kansas | 03:45–? | 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 300abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This intense, nocturnal tornado struck 29 farms and caused F3 damage to homes at two locations. Sheds, barns, and utility poles were wrecked. Three people were injured. | |||||||||
| FU | E of Hopeton (1st tornado) | Woods | Oklahoma | ||||||
| This and the following tornado were related to the Waynoka F3. | |||||||||
| FU | E of Hopeton (2nd tornado) | Woods | Oklahoma | ||||||
| This and the preceding tornado were related to the Waynoka F3. | |||||||||
| FU | S to E of Stillwater | Payne | Oklahoma | 18abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||||
| Farmhouses were badly damaged. | |||||||||
| FU | E of Salamonia | Jay | Indiana | 3abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 440abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| Details are unavailable. | |||||||||
| Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width | Damage | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | NW of Watonga to NW of Hitchcock | Blaine | Oklahoma | 05:30–? | 12abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado severely damaged five farmsteads, tearing apart and scattering a small farmhouse. | |||||||||
| F4 | SW of Greenfield to Etna | Blaine | Oklahoma | 05:30–? | 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 1 death – This tornado destroyed or damaged 13 or more farmhouses, only one of which it obliterated. Seven people were injured. | |||||||||
| F3 | SW of Cleveland | Pawnee, Osage | Oklahoma | 06:15–? | 5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado wrecked a few homes. Several others were either shifted on their foundations or shorn of their roofs. An oil refinery was damaged as well. One minor injury occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | Near Oologah | Rogers | Oklahoma | 06:30–? | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado destroyed a barn. A fallen tree injured a person. | |||||||||
| F2 | N of Claremore to Chelsea to Estella | Rogers, Craig | Oklahoma | 06:45–? | 18abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 150abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado unroofed or collapsed several buildings. An injury occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | Big Cabin | Craig | Oklahoma | 07:07–? | |||||
| Six barns were destroyed and a home unroofed. A gym lost part of its roof as well. | |||||||||
| FU | White Oak | Craig | Oklahoma | ~07:07–07:10 | 3abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| Details are unavailable. | |||||||||
| FU | S of Vinita | Craig | Oklahoma | ~07:07–07:10 | |||||
| Details are unavailable. This tornado paralleled the next event. | |||||||||
| F2 | Southern Vinita | Craig | Oklahoma | 07:10–? | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| A pavilion and farmhouse lost their roofs. Other structures received damage as well. | |||||||||
| FU | N of Mountain Grove | Wright | Missouri | 10:30–? | 880abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| Most of the damage was to trees. A chicken coop, a home, a garage, and a few barns were damaged as well. | |||||||||
| F2 | Witt Springs | Estill | Kentucky | 17:30–? | 6abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 150abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado destroyed or damaged three barns and a pair of homes. | |||||||||
| F3 | Near New Hartford to SE of Clarksville | Pike | Missouri | 21:30–? | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 1 death – This tornado destroyed 14 homes and 31 other buildings. Nine other homes and 26 other buildings received damage. 20 injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | Pittsburg | Van Buren | Iowa | 22:00–? | 0.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado struck eight homes, unroofing a few of them. Other structures were destroyed or damaged as well. | |||||||||
| F2 | S of Washington | Franklin | Missouri | 22:00–? | 5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado destroyed 21 outbuildings and four barns. It also damaged 11 other buildings, a barn, and a trio of homes. | |||||||||
| F3 | Eastern Terre Haute to SW of Burnett | Vigo | Indiana | 22:05–? | 8abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 3 deaths – Forming near Cox Field, now Terre Haute Regional Airport, this tornado hit 10 homes. 10 injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F4 | NE of Graysville to northwestern Shelburn to N of Jordan | Sullivan, Clay, Owen | Indiana | 22:15–? | 40abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 150abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 14 deaths – This extremely violent tornado wrecked farmhouses at six locations, particularly south of Bowling Green and Lewis. 160 homes at Shelburn were torn apart, many leveled, and 13 people were killed. The tornado hit a cabin on the Eel River, causing an additional death, and killed "hundreds" of animals as well. 251 people were injured. The path may have continued as far as Cloverdale. | |||||||||
| F2 | Lambert Field | St. Louis | Missouri | 22:30–? | |||||
| This tornado unroofed a few homes. Aircraft and approximately 16 other homes received damage, along with trees. A few injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | SSW of Mount Sterling | Brown | Illinois | 22:30–? | 12abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado struck eight farms, unroofing homes and destroying barns. | |||||||||
| F4 | E of Florissant (MO) to Wood River (IL) to Livingston (IL) | St. Louis (MO), St. Charles (MO), Madison (IL) | Missouri, Illinois | 22:50–? | 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 880abbr=onNaNabbr=on♯ | |||
| 5 deaths – This intense tornado, related to the Washington–Lambert Field family, produced F3 damage at Spanish Lake, Missouri, before hitting Wood River and northern Roxana, Illinois. Up to 35% of the homes in these areas, 300 in all, were destroyed or damaged, along with "several hundred" other buildings, but F4 impacts were confined to a small section of Wood River, principally 6th Street. Farther on, F1 and F2 damage occurred at Worden and Livingston. A few trailer parks were destroyed as well, along with 500acres of woodland, and an oil refinery was severely damaged. 50 head of livestock were killed, and 55 people were injured. | |||||||||
| F4 | SW of Palestine (IL) to NW of Sullivan (IN) | Crawford (IL), Sullivan (IN) | Illinois, Indiana | 23:00–? | 8abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 4 deaths – This violent tornado damaged 20 buildings and destroyed three homes. The tornado obliterated a restaurant, killing four patrons. One of the dead was found in a "distant" tree. Cars were tossed up to 300yd as well, and a pumping station was wrecked. Seven injuries occurred. A National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) technical report in 1999 listed this tornado as an F5, but Grazulis considered it an F4 in 1993 and 2001. | |||||||||
| F2 | N of West Point | Lee | Iowa | 23:30–? | 4abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| Five farms were extensively impacted. 10 hogs were killed and a barn was wrecked. A brick home lost its roof as well. | |||||||||
| F3 | N of Marble Hill to E of Oak Ridge | Bollinger, Cape Girardeau | Missouri | 23:45–? | 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 250abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 1 death – This intense tornado destroyed 14 outbuildings, seven barns, and seven homes. Six other homes and another building received damage. Six injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F4 | Northwestern Cape Girardeau | Cape Girardeau (MO), Alexander (IL) | Missouri, Illinois | 00:55–? | 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| 23 deaths – This was the most destructive tornado in Missouri since September 29, 1927, despite only impacting the fringe of town. It leveled "dozens" of homes on the outskirts of Cape Girardeau, destroying 203 in all and damaging 231 others. 33 businesses were destroyed or damaged as well, and a church was badly damaged. The tornado then crossed the Mississippi River, only damaging trees in Illinois. 130 people were injured, many severely. | |||||||||
| FU | Marked Tree | Poinsett | Arkansas | 03:30–? | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| A "small" tornado felled trees, damaged homes, and tore the roof off a cotton gin. | |||||||||
| Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | Width | Damage | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FU | Somerset | Pulaski | Kentucky | 07:00–07:05 | 440abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| 1 death – This tornado coincided with an hour-long period of "high" wind. A few large garages were damaged, along with many dwellings. A wholesale grocery store and a tobacco warehouse were wrecked as well. This event may have been a downburst. | |||||||||
| FU | Red Boiling Springs | Macon | Tennessee | 08:00–? | |||||
| This tornado felled trees and leveled barns. Homes were shorn of their roofs and torn apart as well. Much livestock was injured or killed. | |||||||||
| F2 | Northern Abilene | Taylor | Texas | 00:15–? | 1abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| Officially a severe wind at the time, this tornado affected 10 blocks, destroying or unroofing seven homes. 30 other homes received damage, and five people were injured. | |||||||||
| F2 | SW of Clayton to N of Hosensack | Berks, Montgomery, Lehigh | Pennsylvania | 00:30–? | 7abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado unroofed a hosiery plant and ripped the topmost floor off a three-story apartment. It also tore utility poles loose, wrecked barns, and destroyed five chicken coops. Five injuries occurred. | |||||||||
| F2 | Cauthornville | King and Queen | Virginia | 01:00–? | 1.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |||
| This tornado wrecked barns and outbuildings. | |||||||||
| F2 | Harrisburg to near Hummelstown | Dauphin | Pennsylvania | 01:30–? | 8abbr=onNaNabbr=on | ||||
| This tornado damaged several barns and tore the roof off a home. | |||||||||